marie-第41章

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children　and　sisters　in　farewell；　or　shook　each　other　by　the　hand。　　I；

too；　kissed　Marie；　and；　tumbling　on　to　my　horse　somehow；　rode　away；　my

eyes　blind　with　tears；　for　this　parting　was　bitter。　　When　I　could　see

clearly　again　I　pulled　up　and　looked　back　at　the　camp；　which　was　now　at

some　distance。　　It　seemed　a　peaceful　place　indeed；　for　although　the

storm　of　the　morning　was　returning　and　a　pall　of　dark　cloud　hung　over

it；　the　sun　still　shone　upon　the　white　wagon　caps　and　the　people　who

went　to　and　fro　among　them。



Who　could　have　thought　that　within　a　little　time　it　would　be　but　a　field

of　blood；　that　those　wagons　would　be　riddled　with　assegais；　and　that　the

women　and　children　who　were　moving　there　must　most　of　them　lie　upon　the

veld　mutilated　corpses　dreadful　to　behold？　　Alas！　the　Boers；　always

impatient　of　authority　and　confident　that　their　own　individual　judgment

was　the　best；　did　not　obey　their　commandant's　order　to　keep　together。　

They　went　off　this　way　and　that；　to　shoot　the　game　which　was　then　so

plentiful；　leaving　their　families　almost　without　protection。　　Thus　the

Zulus　found　and　slew　them。



Presently　as　I　rode　forward　a　little　apart　from　the　others　someone

overtook　me；　and　I　saw　that　it　was　Henri　Marais。



〃Well；　Allan；〃　he　said；　〃so　God　has　given　you　to　me　for　a　son…in…law。　

Who　would　have　thought　it？　　You　do　not　look　to　me　like　a　new…married

man；　for　that　marriage　is　not　natural　when　the　bridegroom　rides　off　and

leaves　the　bride　of　an　hour。　　Perhaps　you　will　never　be　really　married

after　all；　for　God；　Who　gives　sons…in…law；　can　also　take　them　away；

especially　when　He　was　not　asked　for　them。　　Ah！〃　he　went　on；　lapsing

into　French；　as　was　his　wont　when　moved；　〃qui　vivra　verra！　qui　vivra

verra！〃　　Then；　shouting　this　excellent　but　obvious　proverb　at　the　top　of

his　voice；　he　struck　his　horse　with　the　butt　of　his　gun；　and　galloped

away　before　I　could　answer　him。



At　that　moment　I　hated　Henri　Marais　as　I　had　never　hated　anyone　before；

not　even　his　nephew　Hernan。　　Almost　did　I　ride　to　the　commandant　to

complain　of　him；　but　reflecting　to　myself；　first　that　he　was　undoubtedly

half　mad；　and　therefore　not　responsible　for　his　actions；　and　secondly

that　he　was　better　here　with　us　than　in　the　same　camp　with　my　wife；　I

gave　up　the　idea。　　Yet　alas！　it　is　the　half…mad　who　are　the　most

dangerous　of　lunatics。



Hans；　who　had　observed　this　scene　and　overheard　all　Marais's　talk；　and

who　also　knew　the　state　of　the　case　well　enough；　sidled　his　horse

alongside　of　me；　and　whispered　in　a　wheedling　voice：



〃Baas；　I　think　the　old　baas　is　kransick　and　not　safe。　　He　looks　like　one

who　is　going　to　harm　someone。　　Now；　baas；　suppose　I　let　my　gun　off　by

accident；　you　know　we　coloured　people　are　very　careless　with　guns！　　The

Heer　Marais　would　never　be　troubled　with　any　more　fancies；　and　you　and

the　Missie　Marie　and　all　of　us　would　be　safer。　　Also；　_you_　could　not　be

blamed；　nor　could　I；　for　who　can　help　an　accident？　　Guns　will　go　off

sometimes；　baas；　when　you　don't　want　them　to。〃



〃Get　out；〃　I　answered。　　Yet　if　Hans's　gun　had　chanced　to　〃go　off；〃　I

believe　it　might　have　saved　a　multitude　of　lives！







CHAPTER　XVIII









THE　TREATY











Our　journey　to　Umgungundhlovu　was　prosperous　and　without　incident。　　When

we　were　within　half　a　day's　march　from　the　Great　Kraal　we　overtook　the

herd　of　cattle　that　we　had　recaptured　from　Sikonyela；　for　these　beasts

had　been　driven　very　slowly　and　well　rested　that　they　might　arrive　in

good　condition。　　Also　the　commandant　was　anxious　that　we　should　present

them　ourselves　to　the　king。



Driving　this　multitude　of　animals　before　usthere　were　over　five

thousand　head　of　themwe　reached　the　Great　Place　on　Saturday　the　3rd　of

February　about　midday；　and　forced　them　through　its　gates　into　the　cattle

kraals。　　Then　we　off…saddled　and　ate　our　dinner　under　those　two　milk

trees　near　the　gate　of　the　kraal　where　I　had　bid　good…bye　to　Dingaan。



After　dinner　messengers　came　to　ask　us　to　visit　the　king；　and　with　them

the　youth；　Thomas　Halstead；　who　told　the　commandant　that　all　weapons

must　be　left　behind；　since　it　was　the　Zulu　law　that　no　man　might　appear

before　the　king　armed。　　To　this　Retief　demurred；　whereon　the　messengers

appealed　to　me；　whom　they　had　recognised；　asking　if　that　were　not　the

custom　of　their　country。



I　answered　that　I　had　not　been　in　it　long　enough　to　know。　　Then　there

was　a　pause　while　they　sent　for　someone　to　bear　evidence；　at　the　time　I

did　not　know　whom；　as　I　was　not　near　enough　to　Thomas　Halstead　to　make

inquiries。　　Presently　this　someone　appeared；　and　turned　out　to　be　none

other　than　Hernan　Pereira。



He　advanced　towards　us　attended　by　Zulus；　as　though　he　were　a　chief；

looking　fat　and　well　and　handsomer　than　ever。　　Seeing　Retief；　he　lifted

his　hat　with　a　flourish　and　held　out　his　hand；　which；　I　noted；　the

commandant　did　not　take。



〃So　you　are　still　here；　Mynheer　Pereira！〃　he　said　coldly。　　〃Now　be　good

enough　to　tell　me；　what　is　this　matter　about　the　abandoning　of　our

arms？〃



〃The　king　charges　me　to　say〃　began　Hernan。



〃Charges　you　to　say；　Mynheer　Pereira！　　Are　you　then　this　black　man's

servant？　　But　continue。〃



〃That　none　must　come　into　his　private　enclosure　armed。〃



〃Well；　then；　mynheer；　be　pleased　to　go　tell　this　king　that　we　do　not

wish　to　come　to　his　private　enclosure。　　I　have　brought　the　cattle　that

he　desired　me　to　fetch；　and　I　am　willing　to　deliver　them　to　him　wherever

he　wishes；　but　we　will　not　unarm　in　order　to　do　so。〃



Now　there　was　talk；　and　messengers　were　despatched；　who　returned　at　full

speed　presently　to　say　that　Dingaan　would　receive　the　Boers　in　the　great

dancing　place　in　the　midst　of　the　kraal；　and　that　they　might　bring　their

guns；　as　he　wished　to　see　how　they　fired　them。



So　we　rode　in；　making　as　fine　a　show　as　we　could；　to　find　that　the

dancing　place；　which　measured　a　good　many　acres　in　extent；　was　lined

round　with　thousands　of　plumed　but　unarmed　warriors　arranged　in

regiments。



〃You　see；〃　I　heard　Pereira　say　to　Retief；　〃these　have　no　spears。〃



〃No；〃　answered　the　commandant；　〃but　they　have　sticks；　which　when　they

are　a　hundred　to　one　would　serve　as　well。〃



Meanwhile　the　vast　mob　of　cattle　were　being　driven　in　a　double　stream

past　a　knot　of　men　at　the　head　of　the　space；　and　then　away　through　gates

behind。　　When　the　beasts　had　all　gone　we　approached　these　men；　among

whom　I　recognised　the　fat　form　of　Dingaan　draped　in　a　bead　mantle。　　We

ranged　ourselves　in　a　semicircle　before　him；　and　stood　while　he　searched

us　with　his　sharp　eyes。　　Presently　he　saw　me；　and　sent　a　councillor　to

say　that　I　must　come　and　interpret　for　him。



So；　dismounting；　I　went　with　Retief；　Thomas　Halstead；　and　a　few　of　the

leading　Boers。



〃Sakubona　＇Good　day＇；　Macumazahn；〃　said　Dingaan。　　〃I　am　glad　that　you

have　come；　as　I　know　that　you　will　speak　my　words　truly；　being　one　of

the　People　of　George　whom　I　love；　for　Tho…maas　here　I　do　not　trust；

although　he　is　also　a　Son　of　George。〃



I　told　Retief　what　he　said。



〃Oh！〃　he　exclaimed　with　a　grunt；　〃it　seems　that　you　English　are　a　step

in　front　of　us　Boers；　even　here。〃



Then　he　went　forward　and　shook　hands　with　the　king；　whom；　it　will　be

remembered；　he　had　visited　before。



After　that　the　〃indaba〃　or　talk　began；　which　I　do　not　propose　to　set　out

at　length；　for　it　is　a　matter　of　history。　　It　is　enough　to　say　that

Dingaan；　after　thanking　Retief　for　recovering　the　cattle；　asked　where

was　Sikonyela；　the　chief　who　had　stolen　them；　as　he　wished　to　kill　him。　

When　he　learned　that　Sikonyela　remained　in　his　own　country；　he　became；

or　affected　to　become；　angry。　　Then　he　asked　where　were　the　sixty　horses

which　he　heard　we　had　captured　from　Sikonyela；　as　they　must　be　given　up

to　him。



Retief；　by　way　of　reply；　touched　his　grey　hairs；　and　inquired　whether

Dingaan　thought　that　he　was　a　child　that　he；　Dingaan；　should　demand

horses　which　did　not　belong　to　him。　　He　added　that　these　horses　had　been

restored　to　the　Boers；　from　whom　Sikonyela　had　stolen　them。



When　Dingaan　had　expressed　himself　satisfied　with　this　answer；　Retief

opened　the　question　of　the　treaty。　　The　king　replied　however；　that　the

white　men　had　but　just　arrived；　and　he　wished　to　see　them　dance　after

their　own　fashion。　　As　for　the　business；　it　might　〃sit　still〃　till

another　day。



So　in　the　end　the　Boers　〃danced〃　for　his　amusement。　　That　is；　they

divided　into　two　parties；　and　charged　each　other　at　full　gallop；　firing

their　guns　into　the　air；　an　exhibition　which　seemed　to　fill　all　present

with　admiration　and　awe。　　When　they　paused；　the　king　wished　them　to　go

on　firing　〃a　hundred　shots　apiece；〃　but　the　commandant　declined；　saying

he　had　no　more　powder　to　waste。



〃What　do　you　want　powder　for　in　a　peaceful　country？〃　asked　Dingaan

suspiciously。



Retief　answered　through　me：



〃To　kill　food　for　ourselves；　or　to　protect　ourselves　if　any　evil…minded

men　should　attack　us。〃



〃Then　it　will　not　be　wanted　here；〃　said　Dingaan；　〃since　I　will　give　you

food；　and　as　I；　the　king；　am　your　friend；　no　man　in　Zululand　dare　be

your　enemy。〃



Retief　said　he　was　glad　to　hear　it；　and　asked　leave　to　retire　with　the

Boers　to　his　camp　outside　the　gate；　as　they　were　all　tired　with　riding。　

This　Dingaan　granted；　and　we　said　good…bye　and　went　away。　　Before　I

reached　the　gate；　however；　a　messenger；　I　remember　it　was　my　old　friend

Kambula；　overtook　me；　and　said　that　the　king　wished　to　speak　with　me

alone。　　I　answered　him　that　I　could　not　speak　with　the　king　alone

without　the　permission　of　the　commandant。　　Thereon　Kambula　said：



〃Come　with　me；　I　pray　you；　O　Macumazahn；　since　otherwise　you　will　be

taken　by　force。〃



Now；　I　told　Hans　to　gallop　on　to　Retief；　and　tell　him　of　my　predicament；

for　already　I　saw　that　at　some　sign　from　Kambula　I　was　being　surrounded

by　Zulus。　　He　did　so；　and　presently　Retief　came　back　himself　accompanied

only　by　one　man；　and　asked　me　what　was　the　matter　now。　　I　informed　him；

translating　Kambula's　words；　which　he　repeated　in　his　presence。



〃Does　the　fellow　mean　that　you　will　be　seized　if　you　do　not　go；　or　I

refuse　to　allow　you　to　do　so？〃



To　this　question　Kambula's　answer　was：



〃That　is　so；　Inkoos；　since　the　king　has　private　words　for　the　ear　of

Macumazahn。　　Therefore　we　must　obey　orders；　and　take　him　before　the

king；　living　or　dead。〃



〃Allemachte！〃　exclaimed　Retief；　〃this　is　serious；〃　and；　as　though　to

summon　them　to　my　help；　he　looked　behind　him　towards　the　main　body　of

the　Boers；　who　by　this　time　were　nearly　all　of　them　through　the　gate；

which　was　guarded　by　a　great　number　of　Zulus。　　〃Allan；〃　he　went　on；　〃if

you　are　not　afraid；　I　think　that　you　must　go。　　Perhaps　it　is　only　that

Dingaan　has　some　message　about　the　treaty　to　send　to　me　through　you。〃



〃I　am　not　afraid；〃　I　answered。　　〃What　is　the　use　of　being　afraid　i